


Is Lassiter crazy or......

by Otava



Category: Psych
Genre: Confusion, Hospitalization, Injury, M/M, Memory Loss, Mystery, Poor Lassiter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-11-23
Packaged: 2018-08-09 16:16:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7808623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Otava/pseuds/Otava
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lassiter finds himself injured in a shootout.<br/>He wakes up a day later in a hospital bed and is having trouble remembering some things.<br/>"Where is Shawn?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Intro

**Author's Note:**

> Wow. This idea has been in my head for awhile.  
> I have thought of 3 possible endings for this story but I don't know which way I'm going to go.  
> (I may do all three endings in a separate chapter because I think it would be fun to have a "choose your own ending" fic out there.)  
> Sorry if it's a bit confusing but I promise it will make sense later.

There's lots of screaming and cursing coming from all directions and an unbearable pain assaulting his body. He is on the floor, he realizes, he’s bleeding out from his side. His head hurts, he tries to stand up but falls over immediately from the pain in his side and the dizziness. He tries to put pressure on the wound and move away from the gunshots whizzing around his head to safety. Every time he moves to get up he almost passes out. He wipes his face and blood mixed with sweat runs down into his eye, blurring his vision even more as he struggles to move behind a shipping container...

 _‘I need to hurry up and move!’_ was all Lassiter kept on thinking to himself. _“If I don’t move, I’m going to die.”_

Gunshots continued to go off all around him, criminals and police officers alike engaged in a shootout for their lives.

_‘Shawn.’_

The man in question suddenly crossed his mind. He had been with Shawn Spencer, that's why he was here, in the middle of a warehouse, dying, in the first place. Shawn Spencer had dragged him here.

* * *

“Get in!” screamed Shawn. Lassiter looked over his shoulder and Shawn was in the front seat of his precious Crown Victoria, ready to chase after a man. Lassiter ran towards Shawn who slammed his foot on the gas moments later, barely leaving Lassie any time to get into the car. 

Lassiter’s feet were practically hanging out of the door when they took off.

“What the hell, Spencer!” Lassiter finally said after he buckled in. “Slow down you're going to get us in a wreck!” 

Shawn kept driving, struggling focus on the road. “Lassiter, for once, I need you to help me with this. It’s important,” he said without much more explanation.

Shocked and confused, Lassiter sat back in the passenger’s seat, drawing his gun out of its holster and grabbing the few spare guns that he always kept in his vehicle. 

Another car appeared just ahead of them and Shawn got a steely look in his eyes, a couple of rounds were exchanged but Shawn kept on following them. When they were out of range, Lassiter decided to call for backup.

* * *

The chase lead to a warehouse where Shawn bolted out of the car to chase the men, grabbing the gun out of Lassiter’s hand. Lassiter grabbed one of his many spares and angrily followed after him with the safety disengaged and his hand on the trigger. “Spencer! Stop! Wait!” 

Lassiter finally caught up with him and them men he was chasing: he found Shawn holding a gun to them in the far corner of the the warehouse. Shawn's head turned at his arrival and that's when the shooting began. 

Shawn and Lassiter lept out of the way. Lassiter was suddenly thankful that he had called for backup moments before Shawn started off running on his own.

The next few minutes were a blur.

Lassiter was brought back to the present. He was on the floor, wounded, losing blood and possibly dying.

Lassiter quickly looked around; he still couldn't find Shawn among the faces of cops and criminals running around. What’s worse was that he was starting to feel light-headed. His vision blurred more than ever until he only had a sliver of eyesight left; that’s when he knew that he couldn't stay conscious for much longer. Lassiter looked around one last time, trying to get a glimpse of Shawn before the world around him turned black.

* * *

A bright light shone through the blinds of a hospital room, waking Lassiter slowly. A memory of gunfire flashed in his mind and his eyes flew open. O'Hara was sitting beside him, “Carlton! You're okay!” she smiled when she noticed his eyes opening. A tender smile spread across her face as she hugged him, gently.

“I'm fine,” he managed. “How is everyone else though?”

“They're good. McNabb got a little nick on his arm but otherwise everyone's fine.”

“That's good,” Lassiter said, managing to calm down a little. He was still very disorientated and drugged up

“Did, uh, Spencer manage to get away too?”

“Spencer? 

“Yeah, you know, that annoying smartass, Shawn Spencer.”

“Uh, ‘Spencer’ wasn't there…” Juliet trailed on.

“Yes he was! He drove me there. I had to chase after him to keep him from getting killed.” 

Juliet's face was blank as she smiled, listening to her partner ramble on.

“I’m sure that- he was there…” Lassiter started, his head throbbing in pain now. He was beginning to feel dizzy.

“I don’t think so but I’ll have McNabb check the case file again, if that makes you feel better,” Juliet started.

“Thanks,” Lassiter said. He was trying to recall what had happened but his memory was fuzzy. He definitely thought Shawn’s face was present in the bits and pieces of his memory that he had intact of that moment.

“O’Hara,” Lassiter asked hesitantly. “What exactly happened?”

“It seems that you were off duty and saw someone. A gang of smugglers, I think. You chased after them and called for backup in the middle of your pursuit. There was a shootout but all the criminals got away. Officers found you passed out from a bullet wound and a head injury moments later.”

Lassiter didn’t remember it like that. He couldn’t even believe that he got shot and passed out like a rookie. “But I.. But Shawn...,” Lassiter started, memories swirling through his head. Juliet looked increasingly concerned. “I- I think I need some rest, O’Hara.” Lassiter said slowly, closing his eyes and relaxing back into his hospital bed, trying to remember.

“Okay,” Juliet said softly. “I’m going to take a lunch break in the cafeteria, I haven’t eaten since yesterday. I wanted someone to be there for you when you woke up. If you need anything, press the call button and the nurse will come for you. I’ll be back in about an hour. I’m so glad to see you awake, Carlton,” Juliet smiled kindly.

* * *

Juliet looked back on Lassiter once more then closed the door to his room. A nurse with a clipboard crossed her path. “Excuse me, do you know who is in charge of the patient in 4005 B?”

The nurse thumbed through her clipboard, bored. “4005 B, that should be Dr. Kroger.”

“Can I speak with him. The patient just woke up and I have a couple of quick questions.”

“He’s busy right now but he should be coming by in a few moments.”

“I’ll wait,” Juliet said immediately. 

“Hello,” the doctor, said walking towards Juliet, coming out of another room, overhearing the conversation “I heard our patients has woken up.”

“Yes. But I’m a little concerned about him, Doctor,..”

“Concerned? Why, might I ask?”

“His memory is off. He’s also insisting that a man named Shawn Spencer was the one who drove him to the warehouse. He keeps asking for him.”

“And why is that a problem?” the Doctor asked.

“I’ve never heard of the man,” Juliet said. “We don’t have a Shawn or a Spencer on our records and I’ve never heard of my partner mentioning him before.

“I see…” Doctor Kroger began. “Interesting. Well, it could be a combination of many things that can be altering his memory. The concussion he got from hitting his head, for starters, the medication he’s on as well can be making him react that way. It’s probably nothing but we’ll keep an eye on him. Thank you, Ma’am”

“No, thank you, Doctor.”

Juliet walked away with a frown.


	2. Hospital

A knock came at the hospital room door. “Come in,” Lassiter responded wearily.

“Mr. Carlton Lassiter?” a short old man asked.

“Yes?”

“Hi, my name is Dr. Kroger. I’m the one put in charge of you during your stay here with us.”

“Hello, Doctor Kroger. Thanks for the help.”

“It’s my job, don’t mention it,” the man laughed nervously. The doctor then coughed. “Do you know why you are here?”

“Yeah, I got shot chasing after Shawn,” Lassiter blankly stated, looking down at his wound. That should be evident, even to an idiot. 

Doctor Kroger pulled a face. “Yes, you were shot. Your partner told me that you are having some trouble remembering things, is that true?”

“It’s a bit fuzzy,” Lassiter admitted. “I don’t remember all the details. It's like there’s holes in my memories.”

“That might be because you hit your head on your way down when you lost consciousness. We had to stitch a gash on your head as well as deal with that gunshot wound in your abdomen. You are a very lucky man that the bullet didn’t rupture any of your vital organs or that the fall didn’t cause any serious brain damage.” Doctor Kroger said. “Very lucky,” he repeated.

“Yeah, but I can’t remember anything correctly. It's like there is a block.”

“Your memory should come back to you soon, so don’t worry about it just yet. It’s not unheard of for the type of injury you sustained You just had a very traumatic event happen and your body is still in shock from it.”

“Do you think if I read the case file of the incident that it would jog my memory?” Lassiter said hopefully with a glimmer in his eye, “My partner said she’d bring it for me tomorrow. ”

“It might,” the doctor smiled. “You’ll probably be here a few days so we can monitor your recovery, anyway. That should give you enough time to read it to your heart's content and gain back your memory. I’m going to have a nurse come in to examine you right now when I leave so we can compare your progress during your next few days with us. Alright, any other questions you might have?”

“No. Thanks again, doctor.”

“Good. I’ll see you soon, Mr. Lassiter.”

Lassiter nodded. The doctor left the room, leaving Lassiter to stare blankly at the ceiling.

* * *

Lassiter didn’t remember much about his first day at the hospital but he was 100% _sure_ that Shawn had been there at the time of the accident. O’Hara kept on insisting that he wasn't the case, however. Fragments of memories of the encounter sparked in Lassiter’s mind but a full recollection of the events never fully ignited. 

When he woke up that day, Juliet had already brought over the case file for him to read before she headed off to work that day. Lassiter poured through it and little pockets of his memory were coming back to him as a result. He was more sure than ever that Shawn had been there, but Shawn's name wasn’t in the police report. Lassiter scanned through it once more just in case and there was still no mention of Shawn.

 _I wish I knew his number,_ Lassiter thought to himself. Both Shawn’s personal number and the Psych office’s number were saved in his phone so he didn’t have to remember them. He looked around briefly and didn’t know where his phone was. Or his clothes for that matter.

He gave up on the search. _It probably would seem strange if I called up Spencer just to ask how he was doing,anyway_ Lassiter reasoned, _I’m sure he’s fine._

About a half-hour later a nurse came into Lassiter’s room, doing her rounds. She checked his vitals and administered his medicine.“Hey, do you know when they’re going to release me?” Lassiter asked.

“From your charts, It looks like you’re doing very well. I can’t imagine that we’ll keep you longer than 2 more days. Maybe even one.”

“Okay, thanks.” The nurse started to leave. “Uh, do you happen to know where my clothes and personal items are?” Lassiter asked shyly.

“Whatever for?” the nurse asked suspiciously.

“My cell phone. I’d like to call up a few people since I have some time to kill.”

“Oh,” the nurse said, “I think someone already collected your effects. Your partner, I think? The blonde.”

“Thanks for letting me know, I’ll give her a call then.” Lassiter might not have remembered Shawn’s number by heart, but he certainly knew O’Hara’s work number, which he dialed on the hospital’s phone moments later. The phone went to voicemail.

“Hello, O’Hara. It’s Lassiter. I was wondering where you put my stuff. Call back when you have time, okay?”

Lassiter was left in the quiet hospital room with the monitors beeping around him once more. He got bored and irritated and turned on the TV. Thankfully, there was an episode of ‘’COPS’ on one of the channels. He always enjoyed watching that.

O’Hara came into his room around noon. “Hey, I got your message and brought you a few things.”

“What are you doing here in the middle of the day?” Lassiter asked pleasantly surprised at her arrival. He twisted in his bed quickly, causing himself a lot of pain.

“I’m on my lunch break. I figured you might be a little bored and lonely.”

“A bit.” Lassiter smiled a weak smile.

“You said that you wanted your cell phone?” Juliet pulled out the item from an evidence bag.

“Oh yes.” Lassiter grabbed the phone which was sadly dead. “Did you happen to bring the charger?”

Juliet looked through her bag, “I don’t think so, sorry.” 

“That’s okay.” Lassiter frowned. He also noticed that the phone’s screen was pretty badly damaged from the weight of him falling on it. He wasn’t even sure if would turn on anyway.

Juliet saw his face. “Sorry, Lassiter. We can get you a new one.”

“Yeah.” 

He wanted to ask O’Hara for Shawn’s number or even somebody else in the department, but every time he mentioned Shawn she tensed up. Besides, he didn’t want to seem _too_ desperate to talk to that idiot .He’d have to wait until he got home so he could look through his address book.

“I see you read through the case file,” O’Hara smiled, motioning to the papers spread across the bed.

“Yes I have. Have you caught the men who did this yet?” 

“No…..we still haven’t. We’re searching as hard as we can and have a few leads that should get us somewhere.”

Lassiter collected the papers and thumbed through the file again. He didn’t recognize any of the men pictured as suspects. He looked at O’Hara who had bags under her eyes. It looked like she had done some crying recently. “You must be tired from doing my job these last two days that I’ve been here. Harder than it looks, isn’t it?”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” she laughed. “But I must admit, I am a little run down from not sleeping.”

“Then sleep.” He knew how it got when one of their own was injured. Endless nights at the office and gallons of coffee.

“I will sleep tonight, but I wanted to come here to check on how you’re doing and keep you in the loop. How are you doing, Carlton?”

“My head feels like it’s been through a blender. Things are mixed up in here. I’m also starting to feel more pain now that they aren’t using the stronger painkillers that they used for the surgery anymore.”

“Nothing too serious? The doctor says you’re okay?” Juliet asked, concerned.

“I’ve felt worse. The physical pain is nothing. He says I'm fine and stitched up well. I’m really just here so they can monitor me.”

“Well, promise me that you’ll let the doctor know right away if anything gets too painful, okay?’

“Yeah,” Lassiter grumbled.

“Don’t ‘yeah’ me, Carlton. What happened the other day to you was serious. I shouldn’t have to remind you that you almost died and you still can die due to complications from that surgery! You have to let the doctor know if you're hurting because if you don’t we’ll miss you and you won’t be able to come back to work as early as you want.”

“Speaking of getting back to work, how long is Chief Vic making me stay home this time?”

Juliet sighed. “Five days and even then you’re only going to be allowed to do desk work. She also told me that you have to get a doctor’s okay before you come back, so you better do your best to heal up.”

“Five days! Can you bring some more files for me to look at in the meantime, then? I’m behind on about a week’s paperwork.”

“I’ll bring you those when they let you go home. You need to rest now. I think I’ve riled you up too much. I know you’ve been in pain this whole time we’ve been talking. Don’t think I didn’t notice you scrunching your face up everytime you’ve been hurting. I also noticed your thumb on the painkiller. I know it’s hard for you, but you need your rest. I should leave. Please rest. For me.” 

Juliet walked out of the door, and for the first time, Lassiter noticed there were two officers posted just outside of it.


	3. Home

Lassiter opened his front door with some effort; it was nice to finally be in his own home again. Just an hour ago, he had been discharged from miserable his half-week stay in the hospital.

He hobbled into the building and closed the door behind him. His body and mind were still in some incredible pain. The first thing he did once he was inside was take a big breath of relief. Next, he set down the pill bottles that the doctor had given him down on the counter and quickly read through the labels. He downed the prescribed pills and decided to crash on the couch in front of the T.V. for awhile.

 _Why was O'Hara being so strange about Shawn?_ he thought, as he turned on the television and slumped deeper onto the couch. O'Hara said she would come stop by after work. He was tired and wanted to rest for a bit before she came.

The ringing of the doorbell startled Lassiter awake.The TV was still on and it seemed he had fallen asleep for an undetermined amount of time.

Lassiter wiped the drool off his face and struggled to get up from the couch. He heard the chinking of keys and then the door twist before he managed to get up; Juliet had let herself in with the spare keys he had given her.

“Sorry that I took so long. That damn Chinese restaurant messed up on my order so I had to drive back when I was already half way here. They forgot your sweet and sour pork.”

“Thanks,” he managed to smile. He really was sick for that hospital food but still to ill to cook himself something.

“I tried calling your house phone to ask if you needed anything else while I was out but you didn't answer.”

“Didn’t hear it ring.” 

The two settled down on the couch together and started to eat “Want some rice?” O’Hara offered, he said yes and she served him some. “Carlton, I know I've been busy lately trying to catch the guys that did this to you, but it’s been a few days and I'd like to talk to you about ‘Shawn’, now.”

“Oh good, I have too, nobody's told me if he's alright or not. Not that I really care about him or anything…”

Juliet put her hand on Lassiter’s knee. “Carlton, why you keep on insisting on talking about this ‘Shawn’ person. Who is he?”

Lassiter was getting angry now. Would nobody tell him if Shawn Spencer was alright or not?! “Shawn Spencer!” Lassiter raised his voice. “That big flirtatious excuse of a psychic!”

“A psychic?!” Juliet laughed. “I thought you didn't believe in stuff like that?”

“I don't. He just _wants_ you to think that he’s a psychic!” Lassiter said out of breath. There was a wild look in his eyes.

“Woah, slow down, Carlton. I’m just a little concerned about you. Are you okay?” Her voice was concerned and shaky.

“I'm fine,” he answered gruffly, “but why do you keep on ignoring Shawn?”

“Who is Shawn!?”

“Shawn Spencer!”

“I don't know any Shawn!”

“Yes you do!”

“No I don’t. Shawn Spencer doesn't exist, Carlton!” O’Hara finally shouted.

‘Yes he does!” Lassiter shouted back. “What the hell is wrong with you, Juliet! I have proof!” his head was pounding and his eyes were getting watery. “I have proof!” he said again. “Photos I have a photo of him! He gave it to me, it's in the drawer? Somewhere at the bottom of this one,” Lassiter began frantically digging through that his coffee table drawer. “I have one of his father too. From a fishing trip! And that bowl on the counter over there, that tacky pineapple one, that's a gift from him!”

Juliet grabbed Lassiter’s shoulder and pulled him back away from the drawer. She then placed her hands on his, stilling them. “Lassiter, please let this go.”

Lassiter’s head was still very fuzzy from everything that had happened the past few days, “Juliet! Juliet, I'm sure about Shawn about as sure as I am about being a cop.” He was desperately digging through his recesses is of his mind trying to think of proof of Shawn. All he could manage to say was. “Please don't tell anyone about this, but I'm scared. My memory I-. I can't-. But I'm sure. I'm sure about Shawn.”

Juliet squeezed his shoulder. “I'm sure you'll remember soon enough.”

“I know I'm right about _him_ though,” Lassiter whispered. “He was unforgettable.”

“I'm sorry…”Juliet said. “I'm really sorry. Did you remember to talk to take your pills?”

“Yeah,” Lassiter spoke. “Why can't I-” Lassiter put his hands on his face, defeated.

Juliet wrapped her arms around her boss, her friend, her co worker, and he actually let her. Time passed by slowly as they embraced. Juliet was the one who let go first in fear that Lassiter was going to push her away. When she looked at him, his eyes stared back at her blankly; he seemed detached from his body. Juliet was very scared for him.

“Why don't we finish eating? I also brought us some cake. You like cake don't you?”

“Shawn liked cake,” he mumbled to himself, bitterly. 

“What was that?” Juliet asked.

“I said yeah. Yeah, I like cake. Only if it’s chocolate though.”

“That's why what I got.”

“Thanks.”

Lassiter was very uninterested in his food. He had only a few more bites of the Chinese that he had been craving for days then stopped eating altogether. Juliet finished her own meal then served them both some cake. Lassiter ate more of the cake then he did of his food, but still didn’t finish. He just didn’t have much of an appetite anymore.

Juliet checked her watch, “It’s about time for them to switch now. I better leave soon.”

“What?”

“You know, the officers on duty outside your house. They’re supposed to be there at all times because we still haven't caught the guys who were after you. I thought you would have figured that out from the police report and the officers who were outside your room at the hospital?”

“I didn’t. I haven’t felt myself lately.”

“You will soon.” Juliet hugged him again. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Alright.”


End file.
